"Dalliance" usually means some spontaneous or quick romantic relationship. What do we call the participants of this relationship? "Lover" feels a bit too generic since it applies to any romantic relationship. "Friends with benefits" seems like it takes the romance out of the relationship, and in any case is a bit too casual to feel the romantic when reading the phrase.
Is there a word that avoids those problems?
Best Answer
dallier - Someone who amuses themselves with another person or thing. He was a dallier with pretty and sycophantic women.
flirt - A person who behaves in a flirtatious manner. She wasn't a flirt; she never edged up to sex and backed off giggling.
coquet - A man given to flirting.
coquette - A woman who trifles with men's affections.
fornicator - A person who commits or indulges in fornication.
fornicatrix - A woman who commits or indulges in fornication.
[All definitions and example sentences sourced from the SOED]
Most synonyms of fornicator and fornicatrix are derogatory and refer to women, which is strongly suggestive of the sort of cultural history we're born into.